Coronation

ALASTAIR

Aurelia’s presence was announced by an awkward cough from behind her—a sound that seemed out of place coming from a man as self-assured as the king.

Alastair was taken aback as he entered his chambers. Aurelia was breathtaking. Her gown, a creamy base adorned with intricate gold embroidery, was exactly as he had requested. Her hair cascaded down her back, the front strands woven into a braid. The sight of her bare shoulders was enough to make Alastair’s heart race, despite the upcoming ceremony that demanded their attention.

“Is something wrong, my king?”

“We need to go,” he said, forcing his gaze away from her.

Maybe he had made a mistake by choosing her as his mate. His original plan was to use her to produce an heir and then cast her aside. He hadn’t fully understood the implications of having a mate.

They were connected. He could feel everything she felt. And he was a man who usually felt nothing.

He hated it. He hated feeling. And it was all her fault.

“Of course,” she replied, her smile gentle.

Without hesitation, she took his hand, waiting for him to lead the way.

The familiar sparks danced at their touch, but for Alastair, they felt more intense. It was a sensation he wasn’t used to, but it was oddly comforting.

“You’ll repeat the high priest’s words, a crown will be placed on your head, and then you’ll sit next to me. Got it?”

“Got it,” she murmured, her mind seemingly elsewhere.

He stole glances at her, studying her every feature. She wasn’t nervous or excited. Instead, she radiated curiosity—a feeling she often projected.

She was a mystery, one he hadn’t yet solved.

Alastair led the way down the aisle. The throne room was filled with people, just like it had been at his own coronation. They all bowed in deference.

At his coronation, the room would have been filled with wolves from the capital, as the king preferred to keep the castle isolated from the outside world.

But this time, he had invited priests, town leaders, and the wolves who had fought against the fae alongside Alastair’s father. Everyone of importance in the kingdom was there.

It was a strategic move, meant to strengthen alliances in anticipation of the looming war.

He took his seat on his throne as they all sat in wait for the queen. It was a small taste of what life would be like for her—filled with disrespect. Alastair couldn’t help but smirk.

He watched as his petite queen glided down the aisle, seemingly unaffected by the world around her. And that was exactly how she felt—unaffected.

A fleeting look of admiration crossed Alastair’s face before he resumed his usual haughty expression.

She reached Adalric, the high priest. He spoke, and she echoed his words effortlessly. Then, she took her seat next to him, and his mother’s crown was placed upon her head.

“All hail the king,” Adalric declared.

“All hail the king,” the crowd echoed.

No one acknowledged the queen. It was another slight against her, a reminder of her inferior status.

The crowd moved to the banquet hall for a grand feast. The king escorted his queen, her arm linked with his as was customary.

“I thought outsiders rarely entered the castle,” Aurelia murmured.

“They don’t. But this is a special occasion. Don’t expect to be treated like a queen any other time,” he replied, a smug smile playing on his lips.

“Treated like a queen?” she scoffed. “You made sure they did the exact opposite.”

“I didn’t make them do anything. They don’t respect a queen. And neither do I,” he retorted.

“I’m aware, my king. I’m very aware.” Their eyes met, and they both felt it.

They could feel each other’s emotions. While he felt lonely and cold, she felt like she was on fire. She was flying too close to the sun, too close to the man who could destroy her.

She was reaching for something she might not be ready for. He wasn’t sure what it was.

He pulled away from her abruptly, as if afraid of getting too close.

“My queen,” a voice greeted her from behind. She turned to see Adalric, the high priest.

“You look stunning. We haven’t officially met.”

He bowed his head in respect, a gesture she hadn’t received from anyone else. He was clearly trying to win her favor, perhaps because of something he had seen in the smoke.

Aurelia knew about the priests in Hallerian. They were known for their prophecies and predictions.

They were eager to align themselves with the king, but Aurelia sensed their loyalty could easily shift with the wind.

She remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

“I can be a powerful ally, my queen, and—”

“Maybe I don’t want allies like you,” she interrupted calmly. A smile tugged at his lips.

“Maybe you don’t need allies like me,” he replied, tilting his head. “Despite the wolves’ apparent disregard for you, they’re curious about their new queen and what we’re discussing.

“We’ll continue this conversation later, my queen.”

He bowed once more before attempting to leave.

“Stop,” she commanded, and he did. He had no choice.

Then she cast a spell, a sound barrier spell. The wolves had keen hearing, but they wouldn’t be able to hear their conversation. Not even the king.

Small bursts of dark magic were powerful in their subtlety, and she could handle them. She had tested it before.

“What are you doing?”

“You know something. So, speak.” It wasn’t a command, but she was confident he would tell her.

“There was a prophecy. About you and the king. A powerful couple. Two powerful beings. Two paths. Either way, you would become queen,” he explained.

“You’ve already fulfilled that part. You’re queen. Which path you’ll take is still undecided.”

What choices could she possibly have? Maybe it was about who she chose to side with, the fae or the wolves. Or maybe it was something else entirely.

“The visions show me your power. But you seem like an ordinary wolf. No one in this room respects you, and a powerful wolf would have demanded that respect by now.”

His words hit a nerve. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was the mate bond, the king’s quick temper rubbing off on her.

“You’d be wise to watch your step,” she warned. He didn’t seem scared. Not even a little.

“My dear queen, I’m not your enemy. We form alliances. But we’re not sycophants. We operate in a way that benefits our order.

“An alliance with a rare fae-wolf hybrid who wields dark magic is an alliance we’d want to keep.”

Her eyes darkened at his words. His entire order knew what she was. Maybe he didn’t need to be scared of her from where he stood.

“I could have told the king about the vision. But that would be foolish. You’re a force to be reckoned with, Aurelia. You just need to learn how to control it. We can help you.

“I doubt the fae have your best interests at heart.”

“Neither do you, I’m sure,” she shot back.

“Actually, as much as we protect the order and serve the gods, you’re a being worth serving, a creature created by powers greater than the gods we serve.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You’re still a child, but you’ll learn. Maybe sooner than you should for your age. You were meant to be here. You and the king are meant to be.”

She’d heard this countless times, but he’d tried to humiliate her at her coronation, to make her seem weak.

“You need to be careful, my queen, because someone you think is your ally might lead you astray.” He sauntered off, leaving her with a head full of questions.

An ally would betray her. That’s what he was implying. And since she didn’t have many allies, she could only guess he was talking about the fae, about Cathan.

This could be a plot in itself. To ruin her relationship with the fae. She couldn’t trust Adalric, because he was buttering her up, calling her “my queen.”

“Little wolf,” a husky voice whispered in Aurelia’s ear, sending a rush of sparks through her. “I didn’t give you permission to talk to anyone.”

“No, you didn’t,” she mumbled, turning to face him. “I’m sorry.”

“Your apologies mean nothing to me. Tell me what Adalric Ethalowae said to you.”

“He was congratulating me and introducing himself as a friend to the crown,” she replied confidently.

“That was a long introduction,” he observed, his eyes boring into her, trying to uncover the truth.

“Yes, a long introduction. He’s a very accomplished man.”

A low growl rumbled from his throat as his hand cupped her cheek. He wouldn’t waste energy punishing her in public, at her coronation. And for what?

“I’m sorry for talking to him, my king.”

“You’ve said that already,” he murmured deeply.

“You know, sometimes, little wolf, it feels like something’s off with you. Like you’re hiding a secret that’s dying to get out. Sometimes I think you’re smarter than you want me to believe.”

“I think that’s just your paranoia,” she muttered to herself, but then realized she’d said it out loud.

Her eyes widened as she looked back up at him. She braced herself for some kind of punishment. But what she saw scared her even more.

He was smirking. He was amused. And she’d never seen him amused before.

Some might have seen this as a sign of change in the king, but Aurelia knew better. He was surprising her; he was being unpredictable. And unpredictability was dangerous.

His smirk wasn’t friendly. His behavior wasn’t comforting. His aura radiated pure dominance and cruelty.

Oh no.